Klarinet Archive - Posting 000311.txt from 1995/09

From: Lou Polcari <polcari@-----.COM>
Subj: Re: Orchestral excerpts
Date: Wed, 13 Sep 1995 22:15:00 -0400

On Wed, 13 Sep 1995, Christopher G Zello <czello@-----.EDU> wrote:
>I would like to place a vote against using the Bonade Orchestral Excerpts
>for Clarinet. There is a small disclaimer at the bottom of a beginning
>left hand page that Bonade put there saying that these were the way
>players of his time played. Upon comparison anyone will find that
>articulations have been changed, and there are numerous note mistakes.
>Is there any truth to the fact that Bonade indeed transcribed all these
>excerpts from memory (hence the mistakes)? Although this text is a
>fabulous example of musicianship, with many excellent examples of a way
>to play these excerpts, I don't think it is a wise choice to be learning
>from this book.
>
>On the other hand learning from the parts is a good idea--very accurate,
>but expensive if you consider the amount of parts you will need.
>
>Very often today the competition for jobs is so keen that it isn't wise
>to walk into an audition playing anything other than the articulations on
>the page. This is something a committee could count you out for (as well
>as a million other things). Do anyone else feel this way?
>
>Does anyone else feel that the articulation should shape the phrasing?
>Hence if you change the articulation, you change the phrasing and style.
>
>What is the reality of someone revising the Bonade excerpt book and
>providing corrected articulations and notes, while maintaining Bonade's
>musicianship? That would be a find!
>

Hi Christophe;

I use the Bonade OEB I think its valid. I also listen to as many
recordings as possible of the excerpts that I am working on for that week. I
also by all three parts when possible. I think the key is using as many
different sources as possible. Memorizing the weeks excerpts and making your
own written transcripts and notes on performance in your own OEB notebook is key

to preventing errors in edition I think.

I hope this helps a bit...

Lou Polcari